Monday, August 3, 2009

BMW Lo Rider First Look...

BMW sprung one of the first surprises at EICMA 2008 with the introduction of its newest concept study, the BMW Lo Rider. We haven't seen BMW venture into the power cruiser segment since Pierce Brosnan ripped around the streets of Saigon on a stolen BMW R 1200 C in the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. Only a tight rake on an inverted telescopic fork and 6-piston brake calipers on a wave rotor disc mean the Concept Lo Rider places more emphasis on performance and less emphasis on cruiser. A tubular trellis frame and Paralever rear-wheel swingarm ring with Monster familiarity. Sourcing the vaunted BMW Boxer flat twin for its power, the Lo Rider is claimed to get over 100bhp out of its electronically-fed, overhead camshaft-equipped engine.

But the beauty of the BMW Concept Lo Rider lies in its level of customization. Like streetfighters? Then go with the vertically-arranged dual headlamps with a sporty raised exhaust system. Choose the seat bench for two, opt for a semicircular headlamp up front and run the pipes down low and you've got a roadster. Mix it up - BMW wants you to. This level of customization on a factory bike is unprecedented and is a promising prospect to boost sales.